


Life

by ScreamingParrot



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, Minor Character Death, Walkers (Walking Dead)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:14:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25268947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScreamingParrot/pseuds/ScreamingParrot
Summary: Merle Dixon is a bit of an arse ok ok he's worse than thatBut why?Was he always that way or did something happen?
Relationships: Merle Dixon/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

Merle Dixon took a drag from his cigarette, leaning back against his truck he could see the doors to the hospital across the street.

What a difference a few years could make, back when he was discharged from the army Merle hadnt felt like heading home so he ended up on the outskirts of Atlanta, renting a little house of all things! He could hear his fathers spite now.

"What! you too good fer a trailer now boy? aint nuthin' sadder than an outdoor dog thinkin its an indoor dog"

Getting a job in a local garage had been easy enough nobody knew him around here and fixing cars and bikes was a peice of piss.

Finding a local dealer was even easier, Merle was having the time of his life.

Then one day as he staggered back home still rolling from his latest fix he noticed a cute ass bending over a load of boxes only a few doors down from his place.

The woman was struggaling to lift it, he grinned, stood a little taller and walked right up to her.

back in the present

He let go a shakey breath. She had gone in the day before or maybe it was the one before that? He wasnt too sure actually because as soon as he'd heard the neighbourhood gossips saying she was in labour he'd gone on a bit of a bender and lost track.

Two years now and he still would'nt touch drugs and he sure as shit wouldnt again because of her but that didnt mean he couldnt get wasted to fuck and back though which was precisely what he had done.

He had been ignoring "it" ever since shed told him and honestly he still had no idea why she had wanted to keep the damn thing, who in their right mind would want his brat?

There had been the chance of another, years ago, when he was in his early 20's with some bar skank but she had made her view of carrying a Dixon bastard clear , barging into his trailer one morning demanding cash to get rid of it. She had someone else's brat on her tit a year later.

Dragging himself off the hood and flicking the butt into the street with a last glance at the imposing building he wanderd into the shop to try and calm down, the delicate little potted orchid he chucked in the basket on a whim she loved them, had them all over the house she didn't have one that colour yet.

Just as he was queing to pay his phone piped up with that special chirip he had set up just for her making his heart beat faster.

Thanks for feeding the boys last few days, be home in 10 xxx

Those damn dogs ment the world to her and even pissed out of his head he had rembered to chuck down water and kibble for them.

He smiled down at his phone, well no point going in there now he'd just head home and see her there.

Paying quickly he was back in his truck and heading home before the clerk could say have a nice day.

flash back

Most of the neighbours thought the little brit was mad for ever giving Dixon the time of day. He could still remember when she had moved in clear as day thinking he could get in her knickers, walking up cock sure and proud.

What a joke.

She'd smiled at him and within minutes he was unloading the truck with her, as they laughed and joked like old friends and just like that he was hooked and couldnt imagine life without her. They spent every day together, mostly at hers with him jumping the fence between the gardens thanks to the wierd L shape of their street it was their own private shortcut

They hadnt spoken about IT since the argument though.

He'd made his thoughts clear and she'd told him he was an idiot. After a few days of avoiding each other which just ment they were both miserable they'd come to the silent agrenent to not discuss IT.

She never brought it up when he started to bring soft drinks over instead of beer in the evenings.

As shed gotten bigger and the cold weather hit there were always logs chopped for the fire and later still a hand to help pull her from the couch as she struggled to stand but IT wasnt discussed again.

Back home now he stood staring into his garden, he'd hopped the fense a thousand times, he hadnt even felt this nervous the first time he pushed his luck, shed never once been upset to see him.

The chain link rattled as the bag caught on the top, Max and Rex her large rescue mixes, looking up from the back porch tails thumped lazily in the sun

Stooping to pat their heads as he passed Merle hesitated again at the open backdoor.

He didnt want to scare her by walking stright in even though he couldnt remember the last time he knocked.


	2. Chapter 2

Tapping gently on the frame he called out

"Robyn? Sugah yah here"

"In the front room Merle!" she called back being somehow loud and quiet at the same time.

Filling the kettle and flicking it on was automatic, damn brit loved her tea, while taking the potplant from the bag to pop it on the counter he busied himself making her a drink, he was stalling of course but wouldnt admit it, footsteps behind him made him freeze.

She looked both amazing and shit all at the same time, dark circles under her eyes, hair in a messy bun and that beautiful shy smile lighting up her face.

He couldnt help himself closing the gap between them dipping his lips to meet hers, his arms clinging to her pulling her closer as her own wrapped around his neck, far too quickly breaking the kiss she cuddled into his side breathing him in.

It was strange, hed gotten kinda used to her stomach getting in the way being able to pull her flush to him again was almost alien.

She murmering into the crook of his neck

"missed you"

"ah fucking love yah sugah, im sorry" his eyes closed he clung to her as she clung to him.

"love you too you 'ol redneck"

The babies cry split the air suddenly making him jerk in panic.

"is it alright?"

he could feel the little huff of laughter against his neck

"just hungry, go on in, I need to sort the bottle" she moved away busying herself behind him.

Time was moving slowly, it seemed to take an age to get his feet to move and then suddenly there it was, a swinging crib rocking gently at the end of the sofa the little scrap was waving its arms and legs in all directions, face red as it cried in frustration when it hit him

He wanted this

They were his no matter what, he wouldnt, couldnt, loose them especially not to his own stupidity.

Standing over the crib his finger trailed over the babys cheek its tiny head turning searching for food, as the crying tapered off.

Fuck

He didnt even know if it was it a boy or a girl? what kind of fuck up was he? his own kid and he didn't have a clue.

Kid was wearing a soft grey onsie with elephants on it and everything in the crib was neutral colours, no hints there. Its pitiful cries started up again quieter now as it still searched for milk, tiny little thing it was.

"yah gotta quit that bellyaching kid" Merle murmered, thinking back to when Daryl had been born Merle grinned and scooped the baby up supporting its head and tucking it against his chest humming quietly as the cries slowed.

As he turned to sit on the couch Merle could see her leaning in the doorway a huge smile on her face.

"quit ur smirkin woman"

"sittdown you ol' redneck before you give me cavities, far too sweet!"

Passing Merle the bottle of milk as she curled up next to them he felt his heart might burst as the baby started sucking hungrily.

"What yah name it?"

"Nothing yet, everything I think of sounds wrong"

"What is it?" hating that he had to ask he risked a look at her and yet there was still no judgement in her eyes. There never was no matter what he did.

"A girl"

Huh, his girls he thought as he looked between them adjusting the babys position.

That wierd feeling in his chest was worse almost like it would explode, maybe it was a heart attack he pondered.

Looking down at his daughter, with his woman tucked against his side he felt compleate like he was finally whole, he wasnt going back to his place this was home now had been for a while he was just too dumb to realise. He would call the landlord tomorrow.

Lifting the baby girl after the bottle was drained and patting her back gently she burped emptying a good portion of her feed all over herself and his top he chuckled

"Just like yer uncle Daryl used ta do, yur gonna be trouble"

Spit bubble forming she fell asleep against his soggy shoulder as he stood to go change her, chuckaling to himself the whole time.

The next morning Robyn woke to the sun shining through the bedroom window instead of her little girls cries for food, looking at the alarm clock it was 9am nearly 7 hours since her last feed a bubble of panic lodged in her gut, newborns shouldnt go so long without feeds it was dangerous! Jumping out of bed and rushing round to the crib she found it was empty but with a clean sheet over the mattress and not the one from last night.

Merle must have taken her downstairs already she thought as the panic ebbed slowly away .

Robyn got to the kitchen before she spotted him swinging back and forth on the porch swing she had insisted on and he had ridiculed baby cradled safely to him under her blanket mermering a soft lullaby almost too quiet to hear.


	3. Chapter 3

"Shouldnt you be at work?" she asked

"Nah got Lou ta open up said I wont be in this week, gunna do half days week after"

"you big softie" she smiled , he looked embarrassed but happy, glansing up at Robyn he mumered.

"hmmm, how bout Rosie?"

"huh?"

"fer her?"

"oh! . . . Rosie Dixon? . . . I like it, it suits her" stroking the babys cheek they settled together on the swing curled up like they had done so many times before.

...

"Whyd yah keep her?"

"huh?"

"Even after all tha shit I said to yah, yah kept her, why?"

"You never once said you didnt want her or that I should terminate or anything about getting rid of her. You just kept going on that no kid deserved a pa like you, that people like you wernt worth the effort so why did I bother" She took a deep breath before she continued looking him in the eyes.

"You know, if you had come out and said stright up you didnt want a kid I wouldve considered it, but all your reasons were all about you being rubbish not one was about not wanting her"

They smiled, kissing gently so as not to disturb the baby as they sat and simply watched the baby sleep.

...

...

...

...

...

There are two endings to this story

and this is one of them

Merle, Robyn and Rosie live out their lives. The garage does well and Merle buys it off the owner when he wants to retire a few years later.

They decide to have another child, another little girl who they named Clara at Robyns insistence, Merle blames the pregnancy hormones.

They move to a bigger house and finally get married not that either of them put much stock in a peice of paper but because Robyns nan wanted to see them wed before she passed that summer.

It was a small ceremony just them, their girls, Merles brother Daryl, Robyns best friend Eric and his partner and the guys from the garage.

Merle never touched drugs again and he slowly stopped drinking completely though he kept smoking

well he wasnt going to give up all his vices was he? hes no saint.

And they lived happily ever after, as long as Merle remembered to put the toilet seat down and not to wear his dirty boots in the house.

I would like for this to be their ending and if you do as well dont read the next chapter let them live


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS CHARATER DEATH !

It was a warm spring day when Merle decided they needed to take a trip into Georgia to visit his brother and even with all of Rosies baby things they were packed up quickly, how could a 6 month old need so much stuff?

After travaling for hours they finally arrived with Rosie screaming fit to burst. She had caught a chill on the way up that quickly turned into a fever.

She wouldn't settle that night, the strange house and the fever ment she kept everyone awake.

She got sicker, growing lethargic and burning up but the hospital said it was a bad virus going around and to keep her hydrated, it would pass.

That day Robyn came down with the bug and her temperature rockated.

They stayed at Daryls, the hospital was full and couldn't cope with any more patients.

Within the week both had turned.

They weren't the first, it was all over the news by then.

First Rosie then Robyn just a few hours later, that same day the army stormed the hospital and started shooting people in the corridors before moving onto the streets taking down his wife and daughter.

Merle drowning in his greif had been dragged away kicking and screaming by Daryl as the army shot at anything that moved.

The world had gone to hell the dead were walking and he had lost his girls.

Merle would spend the next month high as a kite he couldnt tell you how they survived or when they met Dale and his group or even that he was the one who came up with the plan to rob them.

Sat around the campfire that first night Dale had asked about them and Merle gruffly replied it was him an his lil brutha Darleena against the world and promptly refused to answer any more questions instead making lewid comments to the women in the group as he quietly slipped his wedding ring off glad it was as filthy as he was so it hadn't been noticed, hiding it in his back pocket.

Not long after a group had gone out scavenging in the city, they had split up and suddenly he found himself shooting walkers from the top of the building.

Hell if he knew why he did it, some guy was hollering that the noise was drawing more of them and to stop, but he didn't want to so he argued with them, it felt like a good idea at the time but then again most things did when he was high.

Sat on the roof left alone and chained to a pipe as he came down he thought about why he did it.

And maybe just maybe it was because one of the walkers might have looked a little like a woman he once helped move house.


End file.
